NRL $500+ Knights v Roosters Line-Up

After a hot start to the year, the Roosters have lost their last two games, falling to fourth on the ladder after losing to Manly and Brisbane. The Knights continue to struggle, and with just one win this season they have slipped to last place on the ladder. Both teams need a victory, which should make for some great Draftstars scoring.

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Here is a team you may consider for the NRL $500+ Knights v Roosters competition

Front Row Forward

Mitchell Barnett ($14,400)

A dismal performance against the Panthers aside, Barnett has been solid all season for the Knights, often putting his hand up in losing sides. Barnett’s tackling game is always strong which gives him a solid baseline for his scoring, whilst his ability to occasionally run the ball can result in him filling various attacking stats. Having a lock available in the front-row is always handy and with the dearth of decent cheap forwards, it may be wise to fork out a bit extra for the reliability of Barnett.

Aidan Guerra ($13,100)

Guerra is the pick of the front-rowers in this contest, especially coming off two scores over 60. Whilst he isn’t a workhorse lock that plays the full game, his ability to impact the contest in limited minutes is second to none, with his scoring going at 0.94 points per minute (75.2 points per 80 minutes). His ability to rarely miss tackles combined with his gut running tackle breaks allows him to pick up points despite his lack of minutes. With the Roosters running more through the middle in recent rounds, Guerra is a safe pick.

Hooker

Danny Levi ($5,000)

Levi is certainly the better option at hooker, with Jake Friend’s inability to recreate his form from last year meaning that he cannot justify his price tag. Levi has shown a lot of promise for Newcastle this season, especially on the defensive end where his ability to hold out repeat sets is especially impressive. This has shown in his impressive tackle numbers, which have given him some decent Draftstars scores despite his weak attacking game. In this contest, the Roosters should have plenty of possession, which should mean that Levi will see an increase in his tackle numbers.

Second Row Forward

Jamie Buhrer ($14,850)

Buhrer’s versatility has been pivotal for the Knights this season, with the forward showing he can fill any role asked of him. After starting at hooker last week, Buhrer was moved back to the back-row when Danny Levi came on, which allowed Buhrer to get a boost in his tackling before being used as a ball-runner on the edge. Week after week he has proved to be crucial for the Knights, who rely heavily on his tackling and ability to run out games.

Sione Mata’utia ($9,450)

Mata’utia has settled nicely into his new role as a second-rower after playing predominantly in the centres last season. He’s played the full 80 in all but two games – which were both due to concussion – and has played exclusively in the back-row apart from round four, when he had to fill a gap in the centres. Despite his tendency to miss the occasional tackle, Mata’utia lays enough tackles and breaks enough tackles to present value at under $10k. Last week, he scored 38.95 Draftstars points despite five missed tackles and three crucial errors, which shows that there is plenty of room for improvement in his scoring.

Centre

Blake Ferguson ($9,300)

Ferguson has had a stop-start beginning to the season, with ongoing rib issues interrupting his momentum. Despite this, the former superstar has still found ways to contribute, recording a line break and at least two tackle breaks in every game. Ferguson could be in for a vintage performance against the struggling Knights, who he has good history against after scoring a hat-trick against them in round nine last season. Expect Ferguson to bounce back this week and be the pick of the centres.

Half

Brock Lamb ($9,200)

After filling in at five-eighth twice last season, Lamb has had a great start to his first full season in the role demonstrating great potential on both ends. His defensive efforts have been particularly impressive, with the youngster laying nearly 19 tackles per game this year. His right edge should get a workout from the Roosters, so expect Lamb to be in the thick of the defensive action, while his ever improving kicking game will ensure that he gets attacking points as well.

Wing/Fullback

Shaun Kenny-Dowall ($11,500)

SKD has been back to his old self in the past few weeks after a slow start to the season. His combined 16 tackle breaks in the last three weeks have been outstanding and have been on the back of the Roosters utilising his running game more frequently. The Roosters could win this match in a blowout which means there is every chance Kenny-Dowall capitalises with tries and tackle breaks – rewarding those who pay the extra cash.

Michael Gordon ($10,400)

Gordon is the pick of the outside backs in this contest as he possesses a ceiling that simply isn’t available elsewhere. His kick returns have been excellent this year and have often resulted in tackle breaks as well as metres. Similarly to Kenny-Dowall and Ferguson, Gordon will benefit if the Roosters run up the points tally due to his try-scoring potential and his goal kicking duties.

The Line Up

FR-F: Mitchell Barnett ($14,400)

FR-F: Aidan Guerra ($13,100)

HOOK: Danny Levi ($5,000)

2R-F: Jamie Buhrer ($14,850)

2R-F: Sione Mata’utia ($9,450)

C: Blake Ferguson ($10,200)

HALF: Brock Lamb ($9,200)

W/FB: Shaun Kenny-Dowall ($11,500)

W/FB: Michael Gordon ($10,400)

Salary Remaining: $1,900